1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to apparatus for separating individual fabric parts from a stack and feeding the separated parts to a work station for further manufacturing operations. The apparatus is particularly adapted for separating fabric parts for apparel from a staggered or shingled stack.
2. Background
In the mass production of goods assembled from fabric parts, it is customary to cut a large number of parts simultaneously from a stack of plural layers or sheets of fabric followed by separation of the fabric layers for further operations. In the manufacture of goods such as shirts and pants, for example, various parts are subjected to preliminary sewing operations such as hemming and then restacked in one form or another and fed to a further operation. The parts are then normally required to be separated from the stack prior to each successive sewing operation. The separation of fabric parts from a stack of parts of like material is particularly difficult. The texture or surface roughness of the fabric causes the parts to cling to each other and resist separation techniques. Certainly, reliable separation processes must be implemented to facilitate the automation of the manufacturing process.
Although various devices have been developed for separating relatively thin or sheetlike fabric parts from a stack wherein the parts are aligned with each other, it has been determined that by providing a stack of parts wherein the parts are somewhat staggered so that corresponding edges of adjacent parts are arranged somewhat like roof shingles, hence a shingled stack, that improved separation techniques are possible. Staggering the edges of parts of a stack which are aligned with each other at the time of cut out of the parts may be obtained by various methods such as clamping one edge of the stack and rotating the other edge, then clamping the stack adjacent the other edge and releasing the stack at the first point of clamping to permit the stack to remain in the staggered or shingled configuration. Certain manufacturing process in the fabrication of apparel parts also inherently discharge the parts from a work station into a staggered or shingled stack configuration.
Accordingly, it has been determined in accordance with the present invention that the provision of a staggered or shingled stack is superior to aligned stacks of parts as regards separation processes, and improved apparatus is provided for separating the parts from the stack and feeding the parts to a further work operation in the fabrication of various articles.